I'm not disagreeing the show has undergone major change, but here's food were thought: All the vet characters mentioned were new at one point too. Why is it fans back then were able to accept them, as opposed to now where newbies are practically ostracized the second they're on our screens?

This isn't true for every new character - obviously Chelsea has done a complete 180 and now the person I could consider the "star" of the younger set. Otherwise, is it too much too soon (a la Melanie)?